Son Heung-min wins FIFA Pusk?s Award with 70m sprint 'Wonder Goal'... First Korean recipient

Son Heung-min is conducting a remote video interview with the host after becoming the first Korean player to receive the Pusk?s Award at the 'The Best FIFA Football Awards 2020' ceremony held online in Zurich, Switzerland, on the 18th. (Zurich AP=Yonhap News) Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] Son Heung-min (28, Tottenham) received the FIFA Pusk?s Award for his 'wonder goal' scored after a 70m sprint last season. The Pusk?s Award, established in 2009 and named after the late Hungarian football legend Ferenc Pusk?s, honors the best goal scored in football matches worldwide during the year, regardless of tournament, gender, or nationality.

On the morning of the 18th (Korean time), Son Heung-min was selected as the recipient of the Pusk?s Award at the 'The Best FIFA Football Awards 2020' ceremony held online at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland. He is the first Korean player and the second Asian player to receive this award, following Mohamed Faiz Subri (Malaysia) in 2016.

FIFA announced 11 nominees for the Pusk?s Award last month and on the 12th selected Son Heung-min along with Giorgian De Arrascaeta (Flamengo) and Luis Su?rez (Barcelona) as the final three candidates. The winner was chosen based on combined votes from fans (50%) and a panel of football experts (50%). According to FIFA's announced voting results, Son received 13 points from experts and 11 points from fans, totaling 24 points, surpassing De Arrascaeta (22 points) and Su?rez (20 points).

After receiving the award, Son posted on his social media, "A very special night. Thank you to everyone who voted and supported me. Today is a day I will never forget." In an interview connected via video link to the ceremony, he also expressed his joy, saying, "It's the best, I feel really good."

Son Heung-min is dribbling powerfully during the 7th round home match of the 2020-2021 English Premier League (EPL) season against Brighton & Hove Albion at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The goal for which Son Heung-min received the Pusk?s Award was scored in December last year during an English Premier League (EPL) match against Burnley. At that time, he received the ball in Tottenham's half, dribbled past six opposing defenders, sprinted approximately 70 meters to the penalty box, and scored with a right-footed shot.

He recalled the moment, saying, "When I got the ball in our half, passing would have been a good option, but I couldn't find a suitable teammate to pass to, so I started dribbling. Within seconds, I reached the goal, and it was truly amazing. It was such a beautiful goal." He added, "I scored an incredible goal with an amazing dribble. At the time, I didn't realize how remarkable the goal was, but after the match, watching it again, I thought it was really special."

This goal received various awards, starting with the EPL 'Goal of the Month' for December, followed by the BBC's 'Goal of the Year,' The Athletic's 'Goal of the Year,' and the EPL office's 'Goal of the Season' for 2019?2020.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.